Bus Roadeo Toolkit

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Bus Roadeo Toolkit

Welcome and Introduction 

Welcome to the Bus Roadeo Toolkit! This online Toolkit and instructional video were developed to help transit agencies, transit associations, non-profit social services agencies, and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) plan and implement a bus roadeo. A bus roadeo is a driving competition as well as a training and networking opportunity for transit drivers and agency staff. The event is designed to boost morale, strengthen team building, and provide an opportunity for networking with other transit professionals. It also allows participants to showcase their skills while giving transit agencies and State DOTs an opportunity to recognize and honor the expertise of their frontline employees through this event. 



Several state roadeo events were used as models in the development of this Toolkit. If you are a small operator and want to conduct a bus roadeo only with your drivers, you can review sections of the Toolkit to determine the information you need for a successful event.

Advisory Group and Project Team Members

National RTAP staff would like to thank the following advisory group and project team members listed below, including current or recent Review Board members, as well as those whose expertise and experience helped shape the development of the 2014 toolkit and the 2026 update. 

Advisory Group Members

  • Lee Bigwater, Navajo Nation Transit, Window Rock, AZ
  • Michele Brooks, TransAction Associates, Inc., Woburn MA
  • John Filippone, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, Aspen, CO
  • Louis Friend, Chickaloon Native Village, Chickaloon, AK
  • Dan Harrigan, Arizona DOT
  • Chris Kleehammer, Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency, Dunlap TN
  • Dion Knipp, Operating Above the Standard (OATS) Transit, Columbia, MO     
  • LaShonda McKinney, Bolivar County Council on Aging, Inc., Cleveland, MS
  • Ryan Marshall, Cedar City, Cedar City, UT
  • Diana White, Fairfield County Transit System, Winnsboro, SC
  • Tracy Young, Arizona DOT

Project Team Members 

  • Megan Matheny, RLS & Associates, Inc.
  • Vicky Warner, RLS & Associates, Inc. 
  • Russ Parish, RLS & Associates, Inc. 
  • Julie Schafer, RLS & Associates, Inc. 
  • Laura Brown, RLS & Associates, Inc. 
  • Anthony Austin, Hill County Transit District

Toolkit Contents

The Toolkit has been divided into three sections: Work Group, Tasks, and Budget. It also includes a video, “Bus Roadeo Basics,” with footage secured from state roadeos held in Connecticut, Indiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and the national Community Transportation Association of American (CTAA) event. The instructional video can be viewed in its entirety or by segment. It provides details on set up and judging of ten common obstacles, as well as other non-obstacle course elements used to evaluate contestants. For each obstacle presented, you will see the obstacle design, guidance on how to judge the obstacle, and instructions for scoring a contestant. Participants and judges may also find the video helpful for understanding the obstacles and how judging and scoring are performed. In addition, we have created an Excel file that can be used to compile the driver score sheets during a bus roadeo.



To view the topics included in each section of the Toolkit, please refer to the table of contents in the left navigation. If you would like a copy of this Toolkit and/or the “Bus Roadeo Basics” video on a thumb drive, you can order it through the National RTAP Resource Library or contact us at resources@nationalrtap.org.

Work Groups

No one can run a bus roadeo alone. Depending on the size of your event, numerous tasks must be completed in advance, and you will need support. It is best to establish a work group that oversees various sub-work groups. For example, a member of the work group may oversee judging and lead a sub-work group that registers judges, assigns locations, trains judges, and prepares judging packets. The primary work group should also establish a timeline of the tasks, schedule pre- and post-roadeo meetings, and determine the event location. 



The following section on Tasks will help you determine what you need for the work group and sub-work groups. Members of the work group may include staff from the transit agency or agencies, transit associations, State DOTs, non-profit social service organizations, and/or other interested parties. An Event Coordinator may  be designated to manage all non-competition tasks on event day. This role includes managing vendor coordination (e.g., food vendors, DJ, etc.), organizing participant registration, overseeing the awards ceremony, and supervising site clean-up efforts. 


In addition to an Event Coordinator, you will also need to designate a Course Marshal, who will oversee all roadeo activities on the day of the event. After the event, the work group should hold a wrap-up meeting to review the event and develop recommendations for future improvements.